The inclusion rule
We include programs that study, build, or operate space systems
The directory starts with the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs. A program enters the published directory when its six-digit CIP code is inside one of the ranges below and the record matches an official program, catalog, or department page beyond the school homepage. The current scope contains 261 records.
We do not combine all physical science, engineering, or aviation programs. A physics degree with no space-specific CIP is outside the directory, even when the school offers an astronomy concentration. A pilot-training degree is outside the directory because flying aircraft is a different student intent.
Federal field boundary
The CIP codes behind the directory
| Program family | CIP codes | Records | Why it belongs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering | 14.0201–14.0202 | 127 | Programs focused on aircraft, launch vehicles, spacecraft, propulsion, guidance, and related systems. |
| Astronomy, astrophysics, and planetary science | 40.0201–40.0203 and 40.0299 | 128 | Programs that study planets, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and the physical systems beyond Earth. |
| Space systems operations | 29.0305 | 6 | Programs centered on satellites, ground systems, orbital operations, communications, and mission support. |
One record per field and level
A university with bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral aerospace engineering programs contributes three records. The award levels stay separate because they serve different applicants.
Institution figures stay labeled
Tuition, admission rate, graduation rate, control, and enrollment describe the institution. We do not present them as department-specific outcomes.
Online flags need confirmation
An IPEDS distance-education flag can apply above the individual-program level. State pages tell you to confirm delivery, laboratories, and campus requirements with the school.
Scores stay inside real peer groups
Every score is calculated inside one exact CIP code and award level. A space-physics doctorate is not scored directly against an aerospace engineering bachelor’s degree.
How the program score works
The 0-to-100 score is built from federal data on degrees conferred, institution graduation rate, tuition and cost, access, institution scale, and academic-profile fields. A missing field drops out of the calculation instead of becoming a zero. The national peer rank and peer-group size shown on every card use the program’s exact CIP code and award level.
The number on a state card is a state position, ordered by that national peer score. This gives programs from different space fields one comparison surface without pretending that their curricula or career routes are interchangeable.
How school research enters each card
Federal records supply the field, degree level, awards, and comparable institution data. The school’s official catalog and program pages verify the listing and supply the published program name, curriculum, research areas, admissions details, delivery, and funding facts. Every published card links to the official page used.
How career data is used
Career figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. We publish the 10th percentile, median, 90th percentile, and employment count together. A median is a midpoint, not an offer.
We also distinguish direct routes from pathways. Aerospace engineering is a direct route to aerospace engineering work. A bachelor’s in astronomy can prepare you for graduate study, but research astronomer roles usually require an advanced degree. Space systems operations does not map cleanly to one occupation, so the directory does not promise one.